Bhagavadgita (Dover Thrift Editions)

As an academic and historian (I was one of the authors of the 2008 Hammond Atlas of World Religion) I give this book my highest recommendation for anyone interested in the study of religion. The Bhagavad-Gita is very short, Sir Edwin Arnold's classic verse translation is beautiful and easy to read, and the material is clear and accessible despite addressing profound topics. Add to that the ridiculously low price of this Dover Thrift Edition, and there is really no excuse not to get this book if the subject of religion interests you at all. The Bhagavad-Gita sets out, in straightforward fashion, the ancient Indian tradition's answers to such basic questions as the meaning of multiple coexisting religions in the world and the challenge of how to avoid sin when one can never be sure of the consequences of one's actions. Those interested in history will be impressed with the sophistication of this ancient material; those interested in spirituality will find its message uplifting and encouraging. It is a profoundly integrative text, encompassing all the the myriad different experiences of religion while offering a cosmological model that accommodates them all. Its attitude is heartfelt and positive and direct, with nothing of fusty arcane religious argumentation here. It was written not for scholars or sophists, but for everyone who believes that life is important enough to be worth thinking about. This book is very likely to enrich your thought and experience. If you have not read it yet, I hope you will buy this cheap Dover edition and give it a try.

I had an old copy of Sir Edwin Arnold's translation of the Gita and was happy that this is the same text. It is also larger than the small book I had. I find the translation to be inspiring in its poetic format, giving a flavor to the "Song Celestial." The message of the Gita comes through very clearly to me in this version, with God, as Krishna, often calling Arjuna (an Everyman character) "right-well beloved," "precious thou art to me," and so on. There are other, more prose-like versions, but, as a westerner, I especially like the way this version brings out the message.

I was looking for the edition of the Gita that Ghanda studied. This is it. I rated four stars because the print is not as good quality as I would have desired.

This is a privately owned thrift paperback so I didn't expect much. It is smaller than some other books of its kind but suffices. The seller packed it as well as she would have a more expensive book. I am content.

item as described

Love the writings of Sir Edwin Arnold.Very deep, beautiful religious/ metaphysical explanations.

Unfortunately, I didn't make the effort to learn Sanskrit when I grew up in India, so I couldn't access this piece of literature. I loved this version because it is poetic, and I felt like the author had a deep appreciation of Indian culture.

This translation is absolutely beautiful in the way language is used. The poem style keeps with the original. What an undertaking for such a person. I would recommend anyone interested in learning more of spiritual discipline to read!

Read Arnold’s version years back, good to have it again. Would have liked the footnotes he had but not included here, out of interest. Liked this a lot, inspiring read and good to have it on various devices.

Perhaps those who are so critical of this version should have looked more carefully at what they were buying? Sir Edwin Arnold was one of the great interpreters of Indian thought to the West. This is a companion to his great poem about the life of the Buddha, 'The Light of Asia.' Don't expect great scholarship: expect the spirit of the Bhagavadgita to be conveyed to English speakers by a great poet of the Victorian era.

Great

I thoroughly agree that the advertising is deceptive and that I have wasted my money on buying this. For academic purposes I need to quote from the Introduction by Radhakrishnan, which is not in this edition although the comments on the website make it appear to be there.

Lucid Translation of The Gita in English verse. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan mentintioned and prased it in the preface to his own treatise on Gita (viz. The Bhagavad gita).